"Robert Mueller: Woman targeted by inept plot to bring down US special counsel reveals how it rapidly fell apart.

The apparent plot to bring down Robert Mueller by bribing women to make false sexual misconduct claims against him appears to have fallen apart, after emails revealed startling details about the conspiracy.

On Tuesday, Jennifer Taub, an associate professor at Vermont Law School, made public an email she received earlier this month in which the sender asked to speak to her regarding “past encounters” with Mr Mueller, who is investigating possible election collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

“I would like to discuss those encounters with you,” the email read. “I believe a basic telephone call, for which I would compensate you at whatever rate you see fit (inside reason), would be a good place to start. My organization is conducting an examination of Robert Mueller’s past.”

The letter, which Ms Taub forwarded on to the special counsel, came from someone claiming to be an employee at a purported private intelligence firm called Surefire Intelligence.

Ms Taub told MSNBC she had "no idea" why the "creepy" email was sent to her, but that she did not know and had never met Mr Mueller.

Her disclosure of the message came after Mr Mueller’s office announced – in a rare public statement – that it had asked the FBI to probe allegations another woman was offered $20,000 to make false accusations against the investigator.

Mr Mueller’s team were made aware of the allegations by several journalists, who received emails by someone who said she was called Lorraine Parsons. She claimed she used to work with Mr Mueller at law firm Pillsbury, Madison and Sutro in the 1970s."